First pictures of 'Jihadi John' without mask in Syria

Image believed to be of Mohammed Emwazi, otherwise known as Jihadi John, before his death in Syria Credit: SITE

The first pictures of the British killer known as Jihadi John, without his mask on in Syria, have been released.

Extremist Mohammed Emwazi, who beheaded a number of hostages in propaganda videos by so-called Islamic State, was killed in a US-led drone strike in November.

Pictures released by IS show him holding an assault rifle in front of military trucks. In videos which had featured Emwazi, his face had always been hidden behind a mask.

Image believed to be of Mohammed Emwazi, otherwise known as Jihadi John, before his death in Syria Credit: SITE

The images were featured alongside an article in the terror group's Arabic language magazine, according to the Director of the SITE Intelligence Group.

Emwazi's death was confirmed by Islamic State in its English language magazine Dabiq, after US officials said in November they were "reasonably certain" he had been killed in an airstrike.

Mohammed Emwazi, and the Islamic State executioner dubbed Jihadi John

Kuwait-born Emwazi, who grew up in London, appeared in a number of IS videos which depicted him murdering Western hostages, including British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning as well as the US journalist James Foley.